Proper Attitudes Of The Kingdom Citizens

Proper Attitudes Of The Kingdom Citizens
Of the Sermon on the Mount, Albert Barnes said, "In all languages there is not a discourse to be found that can be compared with it for purity, and truth, and beauty, and dignity.. Were there no other evidence of the divine mission of Christ, this alone would be sufficient to prove that he was sent from God. Were these doctrines obeyed and loved, how pure and peaceful would be the world."(1)

Men have chosen various ways to describe this sermon of Jesus. Some call it the Manifesto of the King. Others, the Moral Code of the Kingdom. Still others, the Magna Charta of the Kingdom. Some style it the Copendium of the Doctrine of Christ. Yet others have described it as the Ordination Charge of the Apostles. However, we choose to label it, the Sermon on the Mount is the core, the essence of the teaching of Christ as he delivered it to his chosen helpers.

From Luke 6:13-22, we learn that the Sermon was given immediately after the selection of the twelve. Thus, the Sermon is Christ's presentation to equip his co-workers for their work in his prospective kingdom. The contents are, therefore, prospective and contemplative of the new covenant and the new age which Christ had foretold in the simple words, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"(Matt. 4:17). We would add here that likely the Sermon, as we have it, is a compilation or distillation of Jesus' teachings from many occasions. Luke's account seems to verify this conclusion.

The Sermon's Role in Christianity

Matthew tells us in 4:23 that Jesus "went about in all Galilee, teaching...and preaching the gospel of the kingdom..." He then gives us the Sermon. At the conclusion he writes that "The multitudes were astonished at his teaching (doctrine, KJV) for he taught them as one having authority..."(Matt. 7:28-29). We would conclude, therefore, that the Sermon on the Mount is an integral and vital part of our Lord's gospel and doctrine.

One of the great attributes of Jesus' teaching was that he dealt with ordinary problems of daily life. He spoke of earning a living, of our relationship to money and property and our fellow man. The many lessons of this Sermon present a practical method for developing the spirit and shaping our lives after God's heavenly pattern. As a moral code, none can be found which approaches the Sermon of the Mount in its depth or completeness. It is "to the other moral codes as the pure to the mixed or partially corrupt."(2)

The Sixth Chapter Analyzed

There are two grand divisions in the Sixth Chapter.
I. That which relates to spiritual activities, vss.1-18.
II. That which relates to the temporal, financial and material activities of life, vss.19-34.

Another way to divide the contents is as follows:
I. Correct attitudes toward spiritual exercises, 6:1-18.
II. Correct attitudes toward material possessions, 6;19-24.
III. Correct attitudes toward financial security, 6;25-34

Right and Wrong Ways to Worship

Jesus not only commands us to worship God, he likewise tells us how to worship acceptably. If anyone is qualified to tell men how to worship acceptably it is Jesus the Son of God. He is divine (John 20:28) and has all authority (Matt. 28:18). he is head over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22-23).

The thesis of the first 18 verses of Matt. 6 is laid in verse one, "...do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven." He then proceeds to give three illustrations applying his principle. One of man's besetting sins is the desire for praise from men. Such desire kept many Pharisees from confessing the Lord (John 12:42-43). Paul warned that pleasing men was incompatible with pleasing God (Gal. 1:10). This vain desire is rooted in man's false pride and is lethal to his spiritual health (I John 2:16). Few things are more destructive to true and acceptable worship than desire for accolades.

His first illustration concerns our giving. "Alms" means "something given freely for the poor"(Webster). Here it stands, by metonomy, for all our charitable deeds of whatever kind.

"When...thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men" (Matt. 6:2). The rabbis declared alms-giving to be the most sacred of all religious duties. A rabbinical saying went, "Greater is he that giveth alms than he who offers gifts and sacrifices." Christ put no less emphasis on it (Matt. 25:31-46). The problem is, some folks are charitable for wrong reasons. Some are benevolent, not so much to help the recipient, but to demonstrate their own generosity and thus to bask in the adulation and praise it brings. Such would probably not give if there were no one to see it. Others might give from a sense of duty. It is not that they wish to help, but because they cannot escape the responsibility. They may give money but not themselves. Faithful Christians give for the sheer love of doing good. They view it as one of the privileges of being a child of God.

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth"(Matt. 6:3). It would be a mistake to interpret this literally for no man can keep one hand from knowing the other's action. Rather, it is set in antithesis to giving to be seen of man. Our only motive in giving is to please our Father. Jesus is our perfect pattern for giving. "...though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich."(II Cor. 8:9).

His second example is: "When ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men"(Matt. 6:5). It is very easy for prayer to become formal, meaningless ritual. Men can pray for different reasons. Some pray only because it is a duty expected of them. But prayer is a marvelous privilege for God's children. Prayer should be as natural and spontaneous as breathing. Others pray to be seen and heard of men. The Pharisees commonly prayed standing with hands outstretched, palm upward and heads bowed. Public prayers were offered at 9:00 A.M., 12:00 Noon and 3:00 P.M. Wherever one was he stopped and said his prayers at these times. Such prayers were addressed to men, not God. They were also given to vain repetitions in prayer. They attempted to pile up every possible title and adjective in addressing God. Often they chanted the same phrase or verse repeatedly. They especially delighted in long prayers. A Rabbi Levi wrote, "Whoever is long in prayer is heard." When a man begins to think more of how he prays than of what he prays, his prayer becomes vain.

When praying, always remember, all prayers must be made to God alone. True worship may be offered to God anywhere, anytime (John 4:20-24). We should always be in contact with and on speaking terms with God (I Thess. 5:22). God cannot be flattered, bribed or cajoled with long, wordy, repetitious prayers. He freely gives his gifts to his children (Matt. 7:7-11).

His third example is: "...when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrite, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may seen of men to fast..." (Matt. 6:11). Only one fast was specifically appointed by God for the Hebrews; the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16: 29-31). In Jesus' day, devout Jews fasted twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday (Lk. 18:11-12). There were ideals behind fasting. It was to draw the attention of God to the supplicant's need and prayer. It was to prove that one's penitence was genuine. It was intended to move God to bless the nation in its distress.

There were some dangers, however, in fasting. One might fast to demonstrate his superior godliness. He could show his neighbors how devoted and disciplined he was. A Pharisee would not comb his hair or wash his face while fasting. Some even powdered their faces to look haggard and pale, and wore soiled garments. They wanted everyone to note how devoted they were. Such pretending was a deliberate act of spiritual pride and deceit. There was no value in fasting undertaken for its own sake or to impress others.

The failures of ostentatious religion are many and obvious. (1) It is worthless, for God rejects all such. (2) It is pure wickedness because a) It is false, pretending to be what is not; b) It is selfish. True worship surrenders self unto God, but this is all for self. c) It is worldly since it is done for the reward of the present world. (3) It is insulting to God to take a high and holy thing like prayer and prostitute it for self-glorification.

The Model Prayer (Matt. 6:9-15)

In contrast to the vain prayers of the Pharisees our Lord gave us what is conceded by all to be the most beautiful and effectual prayer known.

"Our Father." This is a prayer for children of God (Rom. 8:14-15). Father implies love, tender care, wisdom and power. To us it suggests affection, trust, obedience and unswerving faith. He is our Father. We may not have God selfishly as a spoiled, only child. We always approach God as a member of a family of children, all with equal access. One has no special entree with God because of race, nationality or social status.

"Which art in Heaven." We must hush our hearts in solemn reverence when we approach God in prayer. Solomon warns, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few" (Eccle. 5:2).

"Hallowed by thy name." In prayer we should adore the Father before asking for self. True prayer will lift us out of self and selfish thoughts into communion with God. Like a seraphim in heaven we should cry "holy, holy, holy is our God" (Isaiah 6:3). We must never take God's name in vain (Ex. 20:7), even in our prayers. May his name be hallowed not only in our prayers but in our lives as well.

"Thy kingdom come". The word basileia from which we get "kingdom" denotes "sovereignty, royal power, dominion."(3) "The kingdom of God means primarily the rule of God..."(4) The word kingdom is used in at least 30 ways in the New Testament.

1) The kingdom is the church (Matt. 16:18-19). There we see both words used interchangeably. Kingdom describes the church from its governmental point of view. Christ is King over his Kingdom (I Tim. 6:15).

2) The kingdom is also God's reign in men's hearts. Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or there! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you." The church as a body of saved people can be seen, but the rule of God is in the heart. In Matthew 12:28 Jesus said, "But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then it is the kingdom of God come upon you." The church had not yet been established when Jesus spoke these words, but the kingdom or rule of God was come upon them, evidenced by Christ's miraculous power over demons.

3) The word kingdom may refer to the heavenly kingdom. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God..." (I Cor. 15:50). Flesh and blood people can be members of the church, but they cannot go to heaven unless they receive a spiritual body suited for the eternal realms. Peter urges us to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure that we may enter "the eternal kingdom" (II Peter 1:11).

We do not pray for the church-kingdom to be established. That was accomplished long ago. We can pray that God may reign in our hearts and lives and those of our fellow men. We may pray that the church may spread through all the world and that the heavenly kingdom will soon be ours.

"Thy will be done." This simple phrase makes this prayer difficult for most folks to sincerely pray. It is easy to pray for his will to be done in others' lives. It is easy to pray that his will be done when things go our way. But it is hard to say "Thy will be done" when pain and suffering, death or loss is our lot. Jesus only asks of us that which he did himself (Matt. 26:42). God's will is always better than our will for he knows better than we what is good for us. To pray these words we must have first been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20).

"In earth as it is in heaven." How is God's will done in heaven? There the holy angels ever do God's will perfectly, cheerfully, unquestionably and zealously. Since our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20), since our treasures are laid up there (Matt. 6;21), and since we look for the heavenly city for our eternal home (Heb. 11:14-16), we must try to live on earth as we would in heaven.

"Give us this day our daily bread." This is the first mention of our personal wants in this model prayer. It reflects faith, trust and contentment in the Lord of the harvest (Matt. 9:38). Bread stands as a synecdoche for all our physical needs. Again we note that it is our bread we pray for. We pray not just for our own personal needs but for others also. Remembering the poor is an essential part of our faith (Gal. 2:10). We are reminded that man does not live by bread alone (Matt. 4:4). We need the life-giving bread which came down from heaven (John 6:41) and the words which he gave us.

"Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors." Each of us owes an immense sin debt to God which we could never pay (Matt. 18:23-25). As we have been forgiven so must we forgive others. Unwillingness to forgive is proof of our own condemnation. We must learn to forgive as Christ did on the cross (Lk. 23:34). This is the only part of the prayer to which Jesus gave a special added emphasis (Matt. 6:15).

"Lead us not into temptation." The term "temptation" must be defined lest it confuse us. God tempts no man to do evil (Jas. 1:13). Satan does that. God does test and try us to prove, strengthen and confirm our faith (Gen. 22:1). So we are praying that God will not test us more than we are able to bear, even as he has promised (I Cor. 10:13). Having prayed this prayer, we should never expose ourselves to temptation unnecessarily. We defeat our own prayer, if we run in danger's way.

"Deliver us from the evil one." Satan is like a roaring lion, stalking us daily (I Peter 5:8). The whole world lieth under his control (I John 5:19). In his craftiness he seeks to corrupt us from the simplicity and purity that is toward Christ (II Cor. 11:3). Martin Luther wrote of Satan:

"His craft and power are great
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal."

Surely every child of heaven needs daily divine help in resisting and overcoming the ancient enemy of all righteousness. Could there be a more complete or perfect prayer than that which fell from the lips of God's own Son? May God give us the grace to pray it as Christ intended.

Developing Right Attitudes Toward Material Possessions (Matt. 6:19-24)

The central thought of this section is Matthew 6:19-20. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where thy treasure is there will thy heart be also." Is there any passage in all of God's book that speaks more directly to Americans than this? Affluence and the mad rush for material goods and pleasure are the hallmarks of our age. One can understand blinded sinners so doing, but it is inexplicable that so many Christians have joined the gold-rush craze. Since we are children of eternity, rather than time, it is the height of folly to devote our strength to gathering treasures which cannot be converted into the currency of the heavenly land.

Matthew 6:22-23 are obscure and pose a problem for most students. The context however, helps us to grasp the meaning. The Amplified Bible renders it: "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light; but if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you (your conscience) is darkened, how dense is that darkness."(5) The Expositor's Greek Testament offers this explanation. "The eye is the lamp of the body: when it is healthy we see to do our daily work, when it is diseased we are in darkness. So with the eye of the soul, the heart, seat of desires. When it is free from covetousness, not anxious to hoard, all goes well with our spiritual functions, we choose and act wisely. When sordid passions possess it there is darkness within deeper than that which afflicts the blind man. We mistake our relative value of things, neglect the better, or flatter ourselves that we can have both."(6) Jesus sums up the point of this section with the proverb, "No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else will hold to one and despise the other." His application is obvious: "Ye cannot serve God and Mannon, (the common Aramaic word for material riches). The reasons are many.

1) Earthly treasure are ephemeral, while heavenly treasures are eternal.

2) They steal the heart and dwarf the personality, while heavenly treasures help us be more God-like.

3) They blind our vision while heavenly treasures help to keep our moral and spiritual vision healthy.

4) They lead men to forget the value of human beings while heavenly treasures help us to love and do good to all.

How sad to see people investing their all into temporal material things which can be snatched away by fire, theft or financial disaster. Even if they keep every penny, in judgement they will stand before God whom they neglected, with nought but their naked soul.

Attitudes Toward Financial Security - Faith, not Fear (Matt. 6:25-34)

This last section is epitomized in these words, "Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on...(Matt 6:25). "But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). One of our most common problems is worry and anxiety. Millions fret, fuss and fume their lives away, robbing themselves of the joys God intended. Many make themselves sick with worry and paralyze their lives.

Just what does Jesus forbid? "Take no thought for the morrow" of the King James Version is somewhat misleading. Christ does not advocate a shiftless, thriftless, thoughtless, reckless attitude about life and the future. "Be not anxious" of the American Standard is much clearer. The word merimnan means to worry anxiously. So he forbid a care-worn and worried fear that takes all the joy out of life. Jesus posits five reasons why Christians should not worry.

"Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment" (Matt. 6:25). If God has given us the greater gift of life, surely he will supply the lesser necessities to sustain the life. The Creator of the marvelous body of man would not overlook food and clothing for his creation. Therefore, we should not worry about these things.

"Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not neither do they reap...and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not of much more value than they?(Matt. 6:26). If God provides for these tiny creatures surely he will supply one made in his image. If the creatures that were made for my use are nourished without worry, how much more will I, who am made to serve the Creator, be nourished.

Worry is totally useless! "Which of you being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?"(Matt 6:27). A lifetime of fretting and worry will not extend your life even 18 inches. It may very well shorten it by inducing such serious disorders as hypertension, ulcers, coronary attacks, depression or suicide.

"Why are you anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you? O ye of little faith?"(Matt. 6:28-30).

The scarlet poppies and anemones he spoke of had a life span of but one day. Dried grass, including wild flowers therein, was used to start fires in their cooking ovens. If God adorned them more beautifully than Israel's grandest king. Would he not provide covering for his own children? Of course He will!

Worry is characteristic of a heathen but not of a child of God. "Be not therefore anxious, saying, what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things"(Matt. 6:31-32). Gentile pagans had only gods of wood and stone. These could not provide or help in any way at all. It was proper that the poor pagans worry about their needs. We are children of the living God. He is creator of all things (Col. 1:17-18). "He giveth to all life, and breath and all things"(Acts 17:25). As Paul put it, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things (Rom. 8:32).

He closes his great lesson with two recommendations for defeating worry. First, Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you"(Matt. 6:33). We must get our priorities in order. First things must come first. The things of God are of far greater importance than material things. Second, Learn to live one day at a time. "Be not therefore anxious for the morrow. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matt. 6:34). Each day will have enough problems to wrestle without taking on the unknown fears of tomorrow.

Strangely, many of those future things we worry about have a way of resolving themselves so that our worry was needless and in vain. Think how many folks have died since 1945 who ruined their lives worrying about a nuclear war. They are gone. It never happened. If it does happen at some future date they will not be affected. O, the futility of needless anxiety!

Conclusion
The fundamental difference between the children of God and others is that our goal and ambition is altered. What we seek in life is different. We practice our faith to please God not for the praise of men. We are laying up our treasures in heaven. Rather than worry and fret about the material needs of life we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and our great God provides our daily needs.

FOOTNOTES:
1. Barnes, Albert. Notes on the New Testament (Matthew and Mark), Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1956, p. 82.
2. Gore, Bishop. The Sermon on the Mount, E.P. Dutton & Co., New York,1913 (3rd edition), p. 9.
3. Vine, E. E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Fleming-Revell Co., Westwood N.J. 1965, p. 294.
4. Harrison, Everett. Baker's Dictionary of Theology, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1960, p. 310.
5. Amplified Bible. Lockman Foundation, Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, 1965.
6. Nicholl, A. Robertson. Expositor's Greek Testament. Hodden & Stroughton, New York, no date, p. 24.

OTHER AUTHORS CONSULTED
Barclay, William. Daily Bible Study Series, "Gospel of Matthew". Westminister Press,
Philadelphia, 1958.
Fairbrain, Patrick. Imperial Bible Dictionary. Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, 1957.
Fox, Emmet. The Sermon on the Mount. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 19622.
Lloyd Jones, D. Martyn. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. Eerdman's Pub. Co., Grand
Rapids, 1977.
Shin, Roger L. The Sermon on the Mount. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1962.
Smith, Wilbur. Peloubet's Select Notes. W.A. Wilde Co., Natick, mass., 1960.
Thomas, Leslie G. The Sermon on the Mount. Gospel Advocate Co., Nashville, 1938.
Wallace, Foy E. The Sermon on the Mount and the Civil State. Foy W. Wallace Jr.
Publications, Nashville, 1967.

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